Why You Should Be Guest Posting

Guest Posts on This Blog

You may have noticed that I have started accepting a fair amount of guest posts on my blog. Why? A couple of reasons… #1 It means that I don’t feel pressured to always have 1-2 posts a day ready to go. I can take a brief break and post something by a guest poster. #2 It keeps the content fresh and different. I’m sure no one wants to read what I have to say ALL.THE.TIME. It’s nice to get a different view point in there from time to time and change up the “vibe”.

Content is always in line with my blog theme, and I read each post and make sure that it fits before I accept it. And, although some may have differing opinions on this, I have started accepting a small fee for guest posts? Why? Well, to know that the poster is dedicated and serious. I get a lot of pitches from people that are just looking to get their links out there. They want to use my blog for PR. Which is fine…a couple of times. However, after a while… it is taking advantage. So, I had to weed out those that were just looking for quick hits. Now, I get quality posts from only a couple of sources and that is working out well.

Now, I am always willing to help out and I DO allow 1-2 guest posts free of charge in the beginning. This works out well.

Why Should You Do Guest Posts?

There are a couple of reasons. The main one is to get your name out there. Depending on what direction you are going in with your blogging, you may want to be able to take on a regular writing gig at a site other than your own someday. In order to do this, it’s good to get your feet wet on other sites besides your own and show versatility. This can help shake off writers block and nerves while at the same time showing others what you can do beyond your voice on your own blog.

Another reason is that when you write a post, usually the blog owner will introduce you before your post, or you can put your own tagline after the post. Not only does this create what can be a valuable link to your site, you might just pick up a few more readers from it.

How Do I Get a Guest Posting Gig?

Well “gig” is not the right word, because likely… you will not be paid for the post.  But, to get the opp, just ask. Find a blog that interests you and fits what you want to write about, and ask if you can submit a guest post. Some blog owners might just say, “Sure, go for it.” while others (like me) will ask you a couple of questions like what the subject of the post will be, what site you represent, etc. Don’t get discourage if you don’t get immediate responses. Wait a bit a try again on another site. And don’t start with huge sites, start small and work your way up. 🙂

In another post, I will highlight some sites that are out there that you can join to get and request guest posts.